Young children have the right to live and play in safe environments and it is the responsibility of every adult to help keep them safe. Unfortunately, we often hear of cases of accidental deaths or injuries that take place in educare facilities.
Recently a child died in Gauteng after a gate broke at his creche, crushing him to death. But accidents can be avoided by ensuring that safety measures are provided and understood by staff, children, parents and the community. Most educare workers have access to municipal by-laws and policies that govern educare centres.
This article will cover some of the more common trouble spots and is not a definitive list. It is best for each facility to designate a person who is responsible for developing safety plans and educating his or her staff about them.
Physical layout
The building needs to comply with the National Building Safety Regulations. Plug boards or electrical openings must be covered with caps.
Cooking areas are usually considered out of bounds.
The furniture should be designed with the safety of children in mind.
Even young children can learn to replace their chairs under the table when they get up, clean up their spills, tie their shoelaces and walk — not run — when indoors.
The play area should be away from parking areas.
The exterior portion of the pieces of furniture should be smooth and painted to avoid any accidents.
Annual checks of equipment should be made and maintained according to manufacturers’ instructions. Faults and hazards should be reported to the safety coordinator.
There should be sufficient storage space for indoor and outdoor equipment. Local conditions usually determine what additional steps need to be taken. For example, a preschool in a rural farming community has situations that families in cities do not face. In geographical areas with high temperatures, sun protection requires greater attention. Encouraging children to wear protective clothing and avoiding mid-day playtime can help reduce sun exposure.
The swimming pool must be covered with a safety net to prevent accidental drowning. Water safety equipment should be available. A facility with a bike area should have traffic signs along the tricycle path to reinforce traffic safety.
Helmets should be part of the riding area equipment and used only for wheeled toys. Gates and doors of outdoor play areas should have safety locks to prevent children from wandering off. These also help to keep stray animals out.
With the kind of hot dry conditions that lead to fires, the importance of well-marked, emergency exits, unobstructed escape routes, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers cannot be overestimated. All staff must know the location of the routes and equipment. Practicing emergency drills minimises panic during real emergencies. It is important to remember the circumstances of children with special needs.
Poisoning
Each year thousands of children accidentally swallow dangerous substances, such as medicines, cleaning liquids, garden or household products. This can lead to death or serious illness. The golden rule is to lock all such products in child-proof cupboards. We have all seen this: potentially harmful products such as paint thinners or paraffin stored in soft drink bottles! Products such as detergents and disinfectants should never be stored in the same space as foodstuffs. Don’t forget about garden nasties, such as berries or mushrooms. Staying alert is probably the best antidote to monitor inquiring minds ”at work”.
Collection and drop-off of children
Strangers should not be allowed to enter the premises unless authorised by staff. Schools can request parents to provide photographs of people who collect the child. Where possible staff members should know the person who is picking up each child at the end of the sessions and ascertain at the beginning of the year if there is anyone who should not collect the child.
Minor accidents
Classroom staff should look out for small cuts, grazes and bumps. However minor, they should be noted in the accident register and signed by the parent or carer when the child is collected.
A list of guidelines for minor first aid is available from local health centres. Staff should be familiar with universal infection control practices.
Serious accidents
The injured person should not be moved. Call the qualified first aider if necessary and immediately inform the safety coordinator, who will telephone for an ambulance and contact the parents. All other children should be cleared from the accident area. The appropriate accident forms and register must be completed.
Establishing early safety habits
Include safety education into the daily curriculum to help children learn about safety measures.
Organise annual visits or invite guests, including firefighters, the road safety department, paramedics, social workers, lifeguards and police officers to teach children to be more aware of safety measures.
It is best to use developmentally appropriate practices when teaching children about safety so when inviting a guest to the programme, be sure he or she understands this.
For example, the fire fighter would show the fire engine, safety gear and equipment and teach a slogan such as ”stop, drop, roll” and ”get low and go”. Children can be involved in creating the rules and helping to design display posters.
Routine safety
The first aid box (with lock and with an emergency telephone numbers list) should include the list provided in the guidelines’ manual issued by the department of social development, dated February 2001. Children must never be physically punished.
Visitors should report to the office on arrival and sign the visitors’ book. Parent helpers should wear a badge. The school should operate a no smoking policy.
Certain facilities choose not to keep or administer medicines at school. However, each child’s individual needs must be considered and if there is no feasible alternative, the safety coordinator can discuss options. And last, parents should be encouraged to ensure that the child is transported safely to the facility.
Sherin Ahmed is a senior quality assurance officer at the social development department at eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal